Tuesday, March 29, 2011

B's First Year In Books

I remember before B was born, I hoped he would enjoy books as much as his cousins.  As a child mty sister loved books.  I, on the other hand, could have cared less about them.  I struggled to sit still, which lead to years of struggling with reading comprehension.

Fortunately, B loves when we read to him.  I wanted to share the books he enjoyed most during his first year of life.  I have learned the best way to find a great read is through someone else's recommendation.

1.  Peekaboo Farm- This was the first book Bennett really enjoyed.  I began showing it to him when he could barely see a few inches.  Eventually he began turning the pages.  This book has bright colors, simple pictures, and helps children learn the concept of peek-a-boo.





2.  Brown Bear, Brown Bear- A classic that most children, I know, love.  My son is no different.  He really enjoys the vibrant colors and the familiar animals.  










3.  Touch and Feel Farm- This book was given to me at my baby shower from my dear friend Amanda.  Bennett showed little interest in it until he was able to sit up and understand the difference between various hand motions (example: touch versus pat).  The book contains various textures to touch and uses various descriptive words that has helped him learn the difference between patting the pig and feeling the wheel.

4.  Tails- My sister introduced me to this book, as my nephew loved it.  I couldn't agree more.  I LOVE IT and Bennett LOVES it.  There are various textures to feel, tabs to pull, flaps to open, and it has a nice rhyme.  If I had to recommend one book that we have purchased this year, it would be THIS ONE.  

(We also own and like Matthew Van Fleet's Dog book)

5.  Baby's Day: Cloth Book- This was a hand me down from my sister.  You can move the cloth baby from page to page as you walk it through the day.  Bennett loves to play with the baby, especially hiding him behind the blanket for peek-a-boo.  This book taught him to say "Baby," as he only says it when we are reading this book.  I also love that it is cloth and easy to throw in the diaper bag.

6.  Moo Baa La La La- Personally, I love all of the Sandra Boynton books I have read.  They are clever, colorful, and keep Bennett's attention.  However, this one is his favorite.  It moves through various animal sounds in a fun, interactive way.  You can find the gift set (of four) that we have HERE.
  




7.  Little Blue Truck- I had never heard of this book until B's birthday last week, when his cousins (Prema, Isaac, Eli) and his Aunt Michelle/Uncle Kyle brought it to him for his birthday.  I LOVE IT!!!!!!  Michelle said the kids enjoyed it when they were younger and she just found it in a board book.  I have been reading it to B this week and he follows along through the whole story.  The pictures are interesting and the story is one that teaches the value of being kind to others and thinking about other people.  This is a great 1st birthday gift for a boy or girl!!!!

8.  Slide 'N Learn Winnie the Pooh- I must admit I am not much on the V-Tech books, but I brought this one home from my sister's and Bennett really enjoys sliding the ball back and forth, sliding Tigger up and down, and so on.  It is educational and Pooh's voice is only mildly annoying.  



9.  Dr. Seuss's ABC- Again a classic, but this one is great for young ones.  The silly rhyme and the pictures always keeps B's attention.  This is a book he will often pull out of a pile and hand to me to read.






10.  Good Night: A Touch and Feel Bedtime Book- Bennett has just began asking us to read him a book before bedtime.  When we sit down to rock him, he says "Bwoh," and this is the book he wants us to read.  He showed no interest in this book until the last few weeks.  Now he loves to touch the fur of each animal and it is a perfect bedtime book.





11.  Elmo's First Book of Colors- This book was a Christmas gift from the same cousins I mentioned above.  It is a $1 book that Bennett loves.  He also loves the Sesame Street ABC book.








**I keep reading him I Love You Stinky Face, because I love it.  This is a book my nephew always asked my sister to read to him.  Currently, Bennett is showing little interest, but I'll keep reading with hopes that he will eventually sit in my lap and enjoy it.

This book is about how much a mama loves her little one, no matter how he looks.




--Click Titles for Amazon book links

5 comments:

Courtney said...

We are huge fans of 4, 6, and 9 :O) What a clever idea for a post! I LOVE it!!

Nate and Molly said...

ooohh, thanks for the recommendations!

Rhiannon Sukedana- Photography & Such said...

I have books for Aiden and we read but, he's like me and so far, could care less about reading (as I did when I was younger). I remember also struggling with reading comprehension and cannot stress how important reading is. Yay!

Kindra said...

Great list! Anlon also loves Brown Bear, Brown Bear and Moo, Baa, La, La, La (per your rec). And we just got the Dr. Suess ABC book, which I've been wanting. The Little Blue Truck and Tails might be next (although I've promised myself I'll hold off for a bit before buying more books!) It's so wonderful to instill a love of reading into our children!!

Rebecca B said...

What a great idea! Brown Bear and Good Morning, Good Night are favorites here as well!